Many of us have heard of yoga and that it is good for our health and well being. But how does this practice correlate to bone health? The word yoga meaning union can be interpreted on many levels such as: union with God, connectedness with others, ourselves, and our very bones that hold us up and give us support.  Muscles move us through space but it is the bones that support us and hold us in position.

Many post menopausal women are concerned with bone loss and recognize that as we age our bodies produce less estrogen, increasing our risk for osteoporosis. We need to be well informed and pro-active in our approach to bone health.

Here’s how the practice of yoga and lifestyle habits can help prevent or reverse osteoporosis:

• Alignment, joint mobility, and weight bearing: In practicing the postures we emphasize alignment so the skeleton is weight bearing in its natural position. Many of the postures are weight bearing on the pelvis and shoulder girdle to increase strength, flexibility, and stimulate bone development evenly in the upper and lower body. Yoga postures fully rotate the joints and spine; create symmetry left to right, and balance front to back. We aim to work with muscles in lengthened position and discourage tight, bunched muscles that cause compression around joints and reduce flexibility. TIP: Postures such as one legged balance poses, downward dog pose, and plank pose improve balance, strength, flexibility, and concentration.

• Stress management: Sudden or chronic stress leeches calcium from the body and over stimulates the nervous system. In yoga we place emphasis on rest and relaxation reducing stored up tension and stress in the body and mind for an overall feeling of well being. TIP:  Take time to rest everyday (guided relaxation or restorative poses) reduce stress and tension in the body.

• Hormone Balance:  Yoga postures encourage a balanced harmony between the glands responsible for estrogen, progesterone, calcium, and adrenaline levels.  Ensuring that the body receives a steady supply of the right hormones to maintain bone strength and maximum health and well being. Hormones make us who we are; affecting moods, sleep patterns, energy levels, appetites, sexuality, focus and concentration.  TIP: Postures such as twists, forward bends, and back bends massage and nourish our organ body.

• Breath: We encourage attention to the breath and circulating it throughout the body. We learn to exhale more completely thus reducing toxic wastes in the body. The inhale lengthens and increases the amount of oxygen circulating in the body for repair and regeneration. Every organ, cell and tissue of the body breathes. Breath is Life!  TIP:  Breathe consciously – focus on the exhalation, take an extra breath when you can.

• Other beneficial exercise: walking or weight-bearing TIP: Practice FOR 30 minutes 4-5 times a week

• Diet: Eat a whole food, alkalizing diet focusing on bone building nutrients. Tip: See workshop on yoga and nutrition below.

As we grow older and our bodies change, so should our relationship to our exercise and yoga practice. Let that relationship allow you to approach your yoga with wisdom, gentleness, and acceptance of who you are today.

Know and Go:

Elke Brown, owner of Full Life Yoga Studio and Katie Carter, yoga teacher and nutritionist will be teaching a workshop on Nutrition – Yoga – Lifestyle to prevent and reverse Osteoporosis.

December 3, 1-4:30, space limited to 15, must pre-register 277-3783.